


The Friends and Family Plan

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Meant to Be [23]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-28
Updated: 2012-03-28
Packaged: 2017-11-02 15:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/370750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Speaking of reality changing, there is something Sam and I wanted to tell you guys.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Friends and Family Plan

**Author's Note:**

> This is #23 in the Meant to Be series.

“Let me tell you about crazy legs over here.”

“Des, stop.”

“What? You’re a warrior baby…its tattooed on you for life. So it’s the championship game right…”

“It didn’t happen this way,” Jessie looked at Sam and Rick. “It really didn’t.”

“Stop interrupting my story.” Desi playfully slapped her best friend’s hand. “This is a classic. OK, so second half of the NCAA Division II championship game and we’re playing Bloomsburg University. They'd been the best in the nation in women’s lacrosse like five years running and we’re the Cinderella story. And the game was brutal but Warrior over there got the only point on the board and we were tasting victory. 

“We tasted it even more after one of their best defenders went out with an injured foot. And sticks are flying everywhere and the Lady Huskies have the ball and Warrior goes in for the kill on two players, alone, Steven Seagal style. They take her down hard. It’s like the whole field goes silent and we see Jessie crumple to the ground. Damn,” Desi covered her mouth. “It’s hard to think about even all these years later. 

“So the coach rushes over and Jessie’s crying, holding her knee. But she’s all like ‘I got this coach, give me a minute’. But her knee is some color that’s not even in the Crayola box and its already swelling. And he's telling her to stay down, they’re gonna get her off the field. But Jessie hears that and she tries to jump back up, before going down again like a ton of bricks. 

“And all you hear over the deafening silence is ‘dammit, dammit, I need to play’. As they were taking her out on the stretcher she started chanting Raiders, Raiders and soon all the Hampshire fans were shouting it too. Five minutes later, Gina Sanchez scored our second point and the newbies ended up taking down a powerhouse. Bloomsburg hadn't lost a game in two seasons and we took them down. After that the Lady Raiders were the team to beat.”

“And for my bravery in the face of flying lacrosse sticks I missed half of my junior season.” Jessie said glumly.

“You made up for it.” Desi replied. “In a half season she ended up making the still unbeaten record for most points for a female lacrosse player in the school’s history. She also holds the most points overall record.”

“I don’t like to brag…”

“Brag, baby,” Sam said smiling, as he put his arm around his wife. “It’s an amazing feat.”

“We had some great times.” Jessie said.

“We had some great parties.” Desi added.

“It always surprised me how much athletes drank and partied considering how fit they were supposed to be.” Rick said. “Can I refill your wine, Sam?”

“No thanks, I'm driving.”

“I’d love another iced tea.” Jessie said.

“I’ll get that.”

Rick got up and went into the kitchen. It was a beautiful evening in Manchester, New Hampshire and the couple was having a steak dinner on Desi and Rick’s deck. They'd been planning this evening for a couple of weeks, trying to get the dates and times of their busy schedules coordinated. Jessie missed her best friend and the feeling was mutual. It was hard, spending nearly everyday of your life with someone from age four all the way through college and beyond, and then not being together anymore. 

No one had been more of a champion of Desi and Rick than Jessie, even if she felt he was taking away her best friend. Desi returned the favor by being Sam and Jessie’s biggest fan. When the relationship first started, after the Kate Joyner debacle, Desi was the first to defend them when certain town gossips tried to soil her best friend’s name. She knew Jessie. 

People always said you could never truly know anyone, but Desi knew Jessie. They knew each other. They knew the good things, the bad, and everything in between. There wasn’t a secret they didn’t share; for better or for worse. And they were still best friends.

“Here you go, Jess.” Rick put the iced tea on the table and sat back down. “I'm really glad we all finally made time for this. Friends need to spend time together. And I know that this one,” he pointed to Desi. “She goes through major Jessie withdrawal if she doesn’t see and/or communicate with you at least once a week.”

“The feeling is mutual.” Jessie replied.

“It must be a small town thing.” 

“Rick’s best friend Ryan Scott lives in Maryland.” Desi said. “They might see each other a couple of times a year. I have no idea how to function like that. I don’t know if it’s a man thing or something else altogether.”

“Seeing my best friend is important to me.” Sam said. “But again, we live in a small town and those 2000 folks in Newberry, for all their faults and eccentricities, are a part of our everyday life.”

“Have you guys considered moving?” Rick asked.

“Never in a million years.” Jessie shook her head. “It’s our home. Sam lived in Boston for almost a decade but he came back.”

“I came back for you.” he kissed her.

“Coulda fooled me.” Desi said. “You didn’t fess up to that until twelve years later.”

“He actually didn’t fess up to it until just a few seconds ago.” Jessie replied laughing.

“I think I'm being ganged up on.” Sam said smiling.

“You get used to it.” Rick said. “At least I did. They're like Abbott and Costello, Frank and Dean.”

“Jon and Richie.” Jessie and Desi said in unison. “Jinx!”

“I said it first.” Jessie pointed at her. “Drink.”

Desi complied, taking down some of her Merlot.

“So do you guys have a vacation or anything planned?” she asked. “The summer is going to be over soon and then it’s back to the grind. Rick and I are going to spend two weeks over in Europe at the end of August. I'm looking forward to it. I've traveled to so many places for work but now I get to go for true leisure. I want you guys to get away too. You know being in Newberry too long causes loss of oxygen to the brain.”

“Now is just a really busy time.” Sam said. “And Jessie eventually wants to drastically cut her time at the diner so she's there nearly everyday right now in preparation. At least I think it’s in preparation.”

“It is.” Jessie nodded. She still hadn't gotten around to talking to her father. It was something she needed to build up for. In many ways she was a warrior; in some she was still a Daddy’s girl.

“You're leaving the diner?” Rick asked. “The first time I ever met you, I sat at the counter and you cut me a slice of apple pie you baked yourself. I thought you loved that place.”

“I do. But I think its time to really put the focus on my writing and see where it can take me. Erin Strauss wants to represent me and my novel is nearly done.”

“I am so proud of you.” Desi clasped her hand. “Jessie showed me her first story when we were nine years old; I can say that now. It was about Barbie and Skipper going on an intergalactic space adventure. I was Skipper.”

“These days they would call that fanfiction.” Rick said smiling.

“It was called that back then too.” Jessie replied.

“I absolutely loved it and I told her she would become a big writer one day. She scoffed; you should've seen how well a nine year old girl could scoff. She said it was just a hobby, something to do when she was feeling down or bored. Still, she kept bringing me little things here and there, and then it just stopped.”

“Reality set in.” Jessie sounded sad when she said it.

“Well I for one am glad that reality changed. You deserve all the happiness in the world and I know how happy writing makes you. I know how happy I'm going to be when I can get my hands on that anthology and eventually the novel. I’ll be happy to fly with you to Chicago when Oprah comes calling.”

“Oh yeah right.” Jessie laughed.

“It could happen Jess.” Sam said. “She has a book club and soon you'll be writing amazing books. I have absolute faith in your talent.”

“Thanks.” She took Sam’s hand and just glowed. “Speaking of reality changing, there is something Sam and I wanted to tell you guys.”

“What's up?” Desi asked.

“Well, we’re not telling a lot of people yet but there was no way we couldn’t share our happiness with you. Sam and I are going to have a baby.”

Rick nearly fell over when Desi let out a squeal. She jumped up from her chair, turning it over, and rushed into her best friend’s arms. Then she and Desi were hugging and crying and cheering. Rick just looked at Sam and he looked like the happiest man on earth. They'd only been married for about 10 months but he was sure they would make it. 

One usually didn’t place bets of that nature as they had a way of biting you hard in the bum. He was pretty confident about Sam and Jessie. Their elation at being around and with each other was something that couldn’t be faked. No one could glow that much and then fall out of love. Surely there would be lean times, the best marriages had them and no one was perfect, but what they had was special. Now they were adding to the happiness.

“Congratulations you guys.” He said. “This couldn’t happen to two greater people.”

“Thank you so much, Rick.”

“Oh dear lord, now my mama is gonna want to know when she’ll be having grandbabies on this end.” Desi rolled her eyes but smiled. “How far along are you?”

“Nine weeks now.” Jessie replied. “That’s why we haven’t told many people. We want to wait until I'm out of my first trimester and virtually out of the woods for carrying the baby to term. If I have my way I won't tell anyone until I start showing significantly.”

“What do you want, a boy or a girl?” Rick asked.

“I just want a healthy kid with ten fingers and toes.” Sam said. “A little girl with blonde curls like her mother would be awesome though.”

“I don’t have a preference.” Jessie said. “I would prefer straight hair though; I know what a pain this stuff is to take care of.”

“Do your parents know?” Desi asked.

“Yes, but they’ve been sworn to secrecy. I honestly don’t know how long my mother can hold it. She was excited. Not as excited as when Haley had Jack but she said she was ready for another grandchild. Daddy was beside himself. He wouldn’t even let me help with the dishes the last time we were over there. He said I needed my rest.”

“I don’t plan on letting her over do it either.” Sam said. “Her dad was right…she’d been on her feet nearly all day.”

“Sam has made the false promise not to hover.”

“Oh yeah right.” Desi laughed. “When I think back, Sam has been hovering since we were little girls.”

“I have not…” Sam stopped before he said another word.

Rick started laughing as he drank his wine. “Look at you, man, you can't even say it. You can't say it with a clear conscience.”

“I wouldn’t call it hovering.” Sam said. “It was just…Derek was overprotective too.”

“Derek was the reason I couldn’t get a date through most of high school.” Desi said. “But he was my brother, he had an excuse. What was yours, Kassmeyer?”

“I was in love with her.” he said.

“Sam,” Jessie looked at her husband.

“I know that I was, deep down in my soul. I have no idea why I couldn’t just open up and tell the whole world but our story was supposed to unfold just as it did. Still, I was always looking after you. I made that promise way before I ever told you I loved you.”

“Yes you did.” Jessie smiled, caressing his face.

“You two make me sick.” Desi replied laughing. “I just want you to know that.”

“Don’t be a hater.” Jessie licked her tongue out at her best friend.

“It’s impossible with all this sugar in the air. You two are just so sweet.”

***

“Oh shit.” Jessie said as they were driving back toward Newberry later that night. “I'm sorry, Sam.”

“It’s OK, baby. Are you alright?”

Jessie was driving her Beamer and even Sam had to admit that it was nice and smooth on the road. He road tested six cars before they picked one. He actually drove her crazy that day at the dealership but he wasn’t entrusting just any car, especially any foreign car, with the love of his life. They finally settled on a BMW 640i Gran Coupe in Imola Red. The $82,000 sticker price after Sam was finished making it as safe as humanly possible didn’t matter to him. The fact that Jessie loved the car only made him happier.

“I didn’t tell Desi that I want her to be the baby’s godmother.” Jessie said.

“Are you serious?” Sam couldn’t help laughing.

“Why are you laughing? I am serious.”

“Babe, you and Desi have been best friends since Brownies. Do you really think that she thinks you're going to ask someone else?”

“But I want her to know.”

“You said you'd call when we got home.” Sam said. “You can tell her then. I'm sure she’d be thrilled to hear it.”

“It makes me think about something.” Jessie said.

“What?”

“Well I don’t want to bring it up because I don’t want to upset you.”

Sam wanted to tell her not to. He didn’t want to be upset either. Still, there were some things they needed to talk about as they prepared for the biggest leap of their lives. Sam thought it blew everyone’s minds when they got married. In seven months they would bring a life into the world. That was epic on an epic scale, as the boys at the church would say.”

“I think I can handle it.” he replied, not sure at all if he could.

“Well,” Jessie sighed, gripped the wheel and knew she had to just do it. “I know that Hotch is your best friend, and he's like a brother to me. But after the baby is born I want us to draw up a will. And I want it in there that if anything ever happens where we can’t be there to raise our children that Desi and Rick will.”

“I already have a will, Jess.”

“Then we should add that in there. I just…I know how much Hotch means to you.”

“He means the world to me. But I know that he had his hands full with Jack and I know he and Emily are trying. Two might be the magic number for him. Also, Desi knows us both just as well as Hotch does. She’ll make sure that our children know how much we loved each other and loved them if anything happens and we aren’t here to tell them that.”

“I'm sorry for such a downer conversation after a great evening.”

“It’s a little bit of a mood dampener, but just a bit. It’s good to get those things out of the way. Now it’s out of the way.”

“I love you, Sam Kassmeyer.” Jessie glanced at him before her eyes went back to the road. “I love you, heart and sternum, forever.”

“I love you too. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. And if having you wasn’t amazing enough, you're going to bring my children into the world.”

“Can you take back the rowdy Kassmeyer kids prediction?” she asked smiling.

“Oh no, the prediction stands.” He grinned. “We’re going to have the most awesome adventure. I’ll be with you every step of the way. Don’t worry; you're going to love it.”

Jessie rolled her eyes but kept smiling. She loved it already; loved being Mrs. Sam Kassmeyer. She woke everyday happy and wondered what new adventures were waiting for her. Soon she would embark on a new career to go with her wonderful marriage and impending motherhood. It felt so good to know that someone was always there, always had her back, and that that someone was Sam. She really had loved him for most of her life and knew for sure that he’d felt the same. 

They had to wait, wait until it was right. There were times when Jessie was sure they would always be two ships passing in the night. Her fear of him actually marrying and living happily ever after with someone else was palpable. But they were meant to be…they were fated. Fate sometimes gave you funny circumstances and large obstacles and even crushing heartbreak. In the end it was worth every moment to be here, now, embarking on this life together.

“What are you thinking?” Sam asked. “I can tell you're thinking about something.”

“It’s too much to tell you right now while I'm driving. We’ll talk when we get home…maybe we won't talk at all.”

“You're being a bad girl, Mrs. Kassmeyer.” He smiled.

“I'm trying to be.”

“You're succeeding.”

Sam honestly couldn’t wait to get home and have Jessie all to himself. He never minded spending time with the people they loved. But he was very happy when it was just the two of them as well. She still fit into all the corners of him. They didn’t need anyone else to make it a good time. Soon though they would have a child, but Sam thought it would be even better. 

He couldn’t wait to see Jessie as a mom. Though he was nervous he was sure he’d be a good dad; his example had probably been the best. But they would talk more about that tomorrow and the day after. Tonight conversation was probably over. That was quite OK with him. The summer night wasn’t the only thing about to heat up.

***


End file.
